RIDGEFIELD — Mark Farner, the soaring voice and crunchy guitar behind Grand Funk Railroad's classic rock tunes "We're An American Band," "Bad Time," his crunchy take on "The Locomotion," "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" and "Some Kind of Wonderful," embraces life to the fullest with every breath.

That's because at one point a dozen years and two attempted Grand Funk reunions ago, Farner made the ultimate comeback, after dying twice... literally.

In an interview with The Newtown Bee ahead of his January 20 tour stop at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Farner was not shy about discussing his near death experiences, as well as the immense pride and spiritual connectedness he derives from his Native American heritage.

Farner said that heritage is further and interestingly mixed, because his great grandmother married a Jewish groom, and more recently, Farner himself became a born-again Christian after his pair of near death experiences.

The classic rocker also talked a lot about music, his touring band, and jolt he gets mixing brand new music with classic rock favorites that still get audiences on their feet, dancing in the aisles, and singing along to Farner's kit bag of familiar tunes he penned for Grand Funk between the late '60s through mid-'70s.

As their lead vocalist, lead guitarist and principle songwriter the group rocketed to rock stardom following a show-stealing performance before 180,000 people at the Atlanta International Pop Festival in 1969, according to Farner's web bio. 

After enjoying moderate success touring and generating several lukewarm regional hits, Grand Funk's third album, Closer To Home, was one of the group's most successful and included the classic Farner anthem "I'm Your Captain" (a/k/a "Closer To Home") as well as "Aimless Lady," "Mean Mistreater" and "Sin's A Good Man's Brother," all written by Farner.

Due in no small part to his strong and steady vocals, mastery of guitar and stage charisma, Grand Funk was one of those very few bands who really was better live than in the studio, according to biographer Kristofer Engelhardt. So it was no surprise when their album Grand Funk Live reached the Top Five.

However, all of this paled in comparison to the group's sold out performance at New York's 55,000-seat Shea Stadium in 1971. Not since The Beatles had any group sold out Shea, and GFR still holds the record.

Speaking of the Beatles, in 1995, Mark accepted an invitation to join Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band where his show-stealing performances proved audiences were still hungry for Mark and Grand Funk's music.

Looking toward the future with great enthusiasm, Farner told The Bee he is hoping new album project will take off with new record company support, and said he was pleased to be able to hand over the reigns after putting out several previous releases on his own.

While that new project will feature mostly new material, Farner said he has re-worked one of his biggest '70s hits for his 21st Century fans.

"We've re-cut 'Some Kind of Wonderful' which will be on the new release," Farner said.

Settling down Farner on the line from his current home in snowy northern Michigan, we opened the conversation talking about his Native American bloodlines.

Newtown Bee: So I understand besides all the success you've enjoyed as a rock star, you've also been recognized as result of your family's Native American heritage.

Mark Farner: My mother's grandmother was full-blood Cherokee, and I was given a medal of honor by the Cherokee Nation, as well as a prayer quilt by the Lakota-Sioux Nation. It was a great honor. Even though I'm not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it means more to me because this is my heart — it's who I am. And it honors my mother and grandmother, too.

Bee: How much of your Native American heritage continues to influence your life today?

Farner: I think it's my strong suit. And because of that — the nature of the blood — and by the way, my great-grandmother married Abe Jones, who was a Jew. So I'm an interesting mix.

Bee: And more recently you've had some success on the Contemporary Christian front.  

Farner: It mixes just fine. A few years ago when I had my pacemaker put in I exited the bone suit and went to heaven — in fact it happened twice. I heard the doctor telling my wife, 'we've got him back twice but there's no guarantee we'll get him back a third time, so we have to get him to the operating room stat.' Then it turned into MASH 4077 with people running around. I'll tell you, being temporarily put back where I started from was like being safer than in my mother's womb — I knew all things in that state of mind, and you relate to all things, no mystery. So on the way back, I'm hearing this doctor talking to my wife, I'm thinking [expletive], it was so good over there. But I still have a lot of responsibility back here. But I was shown things over there that I could turn into human words. That's why I'm free in Christ, and that's my choice.

Bee: When you were writing music during the early Grand Funk days, did you find your method or inspiration was different than it is today?

Farner: I've always made music the same way — it's a feel thing. I don't understand it and I don't want to. I know how to get it to flow and I know when I'm feeling good about it. The thing that has changed is what I'm trying to say with my music. My music has always meant something to me, so even back in the early days I'd just close my eyes and try to be the character I'm representing in the song, and it would just happen.

Bee: Speaking of new music, you have a new single called "Take You Out"?

Farner: That's one of the singles. People love this song and people just rock. It makes you want to dance.

Bee: Is that tune part of an existing album, or slated for a new project?

Farner: It's part of a new project. I can't name the [record] company, but you heard of them — across the pond. They came to my manager to sign me and do a new record deal. You know for the longest time I was doing my own records, and it's a pain in the butt, dude. Lots to take care of and lots of responsibility. I mean, you can burn through $40,000 making a three or four song EP so fast it will make your head spin. So having a record company is really good for me — I look forward to releasing a bunch of songs on one album versus releasing just a couple or few songs on an EP.

Bee: You are the latest musician of about a dozen artists who have served in Ringo Starr's All Starr Band. How did Ringo find you?

Farner: At the time in 1995, Ringo was putting a tour together and I had a good relationship with the person sponsoring and promoting the tour. And he told Ringo that I would be a good match up and about my hits. And to stand up there every night between Billy Preston and John Entwistle, God rest their souls, I mean it was rocking. It was euphoric to have that kind of continuity in our musical composition. 

Bee: Tell me about your touring band that we'll be seeing at the Ridgefield show.

Farner: My drummer Hubert 'The H-Bomb' Crawford has been with me since like, 1991. He used to play with James Brown, the Bar-Kays, Eric Gales' band, so consequently he knows every song better than I do. We've got Dennis Bellinger on bass who played with Grand Funk in the early '80s. And Karl Probst, whose style is a lot like Billy Powell — and man, that guy can sing. So I've got three guys who can sing, how great is that?

To get tickets for Farner's January 20 show at the Ridgefield Playhouse, visit ridgefieldplayhouse.org or call 203-438-5795.

Check out Mark Farner rocking Santiago, Chile with a pair of Grand Funk hits from this 2012 set.

Get "Closer to Home" with rocker Mark Farner from this 2014 show in Stafford Center, TX.